Staple supporter for stapling machines



July 13,1926. 1,591,986

, A. H. MAYNARD STAPLE SUPPORTER FOR STAPLING MACHINES Filed June 10. 1922 Patented July 13, 19 26.

l UNIT ED STATES I ARTHU'R H. MAYNARD, OF WARWICK, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO BOSTON WIRE .1-,591,986 PATENT OFFICE.

STITGHER COMPANY, OF EAST GREENWICH, RHODE ISLAND, A. CORPORATION ,OF

MAINE.

STAPLE SUTPORTER FOR STAPLING MACHINES.

Application filed June 1o,

This invention relates to stapling-machines for fastening together sheets of paper or the like, and consists in i provements in they means for controlling the delivery of the staples to the work. v v

One object of the improvement is to provide means for preventing the feeding of a new staple into position to be operated upon beforethe previously fedstaple has been inserted and clinched through the work. Another object of the improvement is to provide means for maintaining the staples one staple to be driven on top of another or to result in clogging the machine.

Further objects of the improvement are set forth in the following specification which describes a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 1

In the drawings: 1 v I Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one typeof stapling-machine illustrating my improvements applied thereto, the machine being .shown with one of the side-plates of the stapling-arm removed, and its fore part in vertical section to disclose the arrangement of the staple-feeding and staple-driving mechanisms Fig. 2, an enlarged, vertical sectional View of the fore part of the stapling-arm show ing the arrangement of the staples in the magazine thereof;

Fig. 3, a similar view illustrating the staple-driver at the beginning ofits descent to drive the staple through the work and showing the cooperative relation of the staple-supporter therewith ple-driver at the bottom of its descent and showing the manner in which the staple s'upporter is released from the staple as the latter is clinched through the work;

v Fig. 5, an enlarged perspective view of the fore part of the stapling-arm showing it partly in section to more clearly illustrate the action of the staplesupp0rter; and

1922. Serial No. 567,304.

Fig. 6, a frontview of the lower portion of the machine showing the staple-clincher or anvil in section.

My present improvements are adapted for use with practically all types of wire-stitchers or stapling-machines, but I have preferred to herein illustrate them as applied to a hand-operated device such, for instance, as that shown and described in my copending application, Serial No. 567,303, filed concurrently herewith. As shownin Fig. 1, this type of apparatus comprises essentially a relatively flat base 2, to which is hinged a stapling-arm 3 having a magazine for carrying a supply of staples s. The base 2 is preferably constructed from sheet-metal in the form of a'flat strip having an'opening at its rearward end with. two integral ears 5 projecting from the sides thereof and bent upwardly at right-angles to adapt them to receive the cross-pin 6 on which the arm 3 is pivoted between the ears. The arm 3 comprises two opposite side-plates 7 provided with inturned flanges 9 extending along the top. The side-plates 7 abut the lower sides of a hollow core 15 which is constructed of sheet-metal bent into inverted U-shaped in cross-section. Extending between the side-.-

plates 7=are a plurality of-rivets 8 which are inserted through suitable hubs or sleeves 18 bridging the spacebetween the sides of thecore 15. The ends of the hubs 18 abut the .inner walls of the core 15 to hold the latter against the side-plates-7, and the ends of the I As shown in Fig. 5; the core 15 has its.

uppersides offset inwardly away from the walls of. theside-plates 7 to provide relah tively deep slots or guideways in which the legs of the staples s slide. The top of thecore 15 is recessed or depressed-at the centerin the concaved portion 19 which pro:

v -vides that when the staples are straddled Fig. 4, a similar view illustrating the star across it they will rest on its two opposite raised points so that less friction is encountered in sliding them along the core. Toward the forward end of the core 15 the recess is gradually decreased in depth andfinally disappears.

At the forward'end of the arm 3 the opposite side-plates 7 are formed with vertical uprights 22 extended from the inwardlybent flanges 9 and spaced apart in parallel relation a distance equal to the space between the edges of the flanges. The uprights 22 are provided with vertical guide-' provided with relatively narrow flanges orfins 31 which slide in the grooves 32 at the forward end of the arm 3. Resting against the upper edge of the driver 30 is a presser or hand-knob 33 which has a depending extension or front-plate 3,6 riveted to the front face of the driver at 37 Held between the uprights 22'is a socket 41 in which is pocketed a helical spring 40 which bears against the under side of the knob 33 to normally maintain the driver 30 in raised position, as shown in Fig. 1.' Suitable stops on the front-plate 36 of the knob 33 are adapted to engage with ears on the uprights22 to limit the upward movement ofthe driver 30, but these elements are not herein shown as they are fully described in the copending application before referred to.

Adapted to slide on the core 15 within the sides of the arm 3 and beneath the overhan ing flanges 9 is a staple-pusher 12 for feed ing the staples forward in the magazine. The pusher 12 is formed of sheet-metal bent into inverted U-shape to provide opposite parallel legs or runners'46 for straddling thesides ofthe core 15. At the rearward endof the pusher 12 is-an upwardly-bent T- shaped ear 47 which serves as a finger-piece for drawing the pusher b'ack in the arm 3 whereby it may be removed from the end thereof to permit the insertion of the staples in the magazine. 7

Mounted between the uprights 22 at the forward end of the arm 3 is 'a spring 11 comprising a volute coil 48 wound from a fiat band or ribbon which is attached at its free end to the top of the pusher 12. The coil 48 is held between the uprights 22 on a tubular hub 55 seated in notches in the edges of the uprights, and the outer free end of the a spring 11 extends rearwardly therefrom between the edges of the top-flanges 9 on the side-plates 7. The tension of the spring 11 causes it to wind itself up to draw the pusher 12 forward on the arm 3 to feed the stapless successively into position beneath the driver 30. That is to say, after the leading staple has been driven down and clinched through the work the raising of the driver 30 allows the next staple to be fed forward by the pusher in the manner as more fully hereinafter explained.

At the forward end of the base 2 is an anvil or clincher-bloclr.70 which cooperates with the staple-driver 30 to clinch the staples through the work. As shown in Figs. 4c and 6, the anvil T0 is provided with grooves 73 in its upper face for receiving the legs of the staples s as they are driven through the sheets p. The bottom of the grooves 73 are preferably of arcuate contour whereby they act to force the legs of the staples inwardly toward each other and to then bend their points upwardly against the under side of the work, as shown in Fig. 6, to effect a firm clinch.

The stapling-arm 3 is normally held in raised position above the base 2. to allow the work to be inserted beneath it, by means of a spring 7 5. As shown in Fig. 1, the spring 75 is anchored to the base at 76 and extends upwardly between the sides of the arm 3 to bear against the under side of the pivotpin 6 with its free end acting against the top of the hub 18 on the end rivet 8. The spring 7 5 is thereby caused to exert a downward pressure on the rivet 8 to raise the forward end of the arm 3 until its rearward end strikes against the top of the base 2.

The above described details of construction comprise the essential mechanism of the stapling-machine which is disclosed in my copending application befoie referred to, and the additional features of improvement forming the subject-matter of the present application will now be described as applied to use in connection therewith. Referring to Fig. 2 of the present drawings, it will be observed that as the staples s are fed along the core 15 the leading one will be pushed off from the end of the core into the vertical guiding-grooves 32 formed in the ends of the side-plates 7 of the arm 3. In most cases it has heretofore been the practice to depend upon the snug fit of the staples in the guiding-grooves to prevent them from sliding downwardly before the staple-driver is brought down against them. It has been found, however, that the wire from which the staples are made varies somewhat indiameter so that if it is too large the staples Wlll be apt to bind or stick in the grooves:

whereas, if the wire is undersize the staples will slide too freely in the grooves so that they will drop out of position. To prevent these conditions I have devised means for providing that the guiding-grooves shall be amply large to permit free movement of staples of oversize wire while also preventing the unwarranted dropping of staples of smaller wire. Stated briefly, my present improvement contemplates the provision of a staple-supporter which is adapted to retain each staple fed ofl from the .core 15 when the action'of the latter is unco mpletecl' in raised position until is acted upon by the staple-drlver. Moreover, the staplesupporter also. acts automatically to return the staple to raised position after it has been pressed down part Way by the driver to clinch the staple through the work.

In its simplest form the staple-supporter 85 consists of a relatively flat strip of tempered metal bent into a leaf-spring having somewhat the shape of an archery-bow in edge View, see Fig. 2. At its ,center the spring 85 is bent into arcuate shape to adapt it to overlie and seat upon a tubular strut 83 which extends between the sideplates 7. The strut or tube 83 is held in place between the side-plates 7 by projections or teats 84 formed on theinner faces of the plates by indenting them on the outside with a punch or. similar tool. The teats 84 .project into the bore of the tube 83 as illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. From the central arched portion 86 the spring 85 is staples .s' slide. The spring85 is of a width caused to project between the legs of the to adapt it to be inserted between the topa5 sides of thecore see Fig. 5, and is maintained in position therein by its inherent tension whichcauses its central arched por tion 86 to rest securely on the bridge or support provided by the tube 83. The forward end of the leaf 89 of the spring is thus staple .s to support the latter by its upper cross-bar, as shown in Fig. 2.' When the stape-driver is brought down against the staples to slide it downwardly in the.

grooves 32 the forward leaf 89 of the spring or supporter 85yields, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and is finally depressed sufficiently to release the staple as the latter is clinched through the work in the manner as shown in Fig. 4. The methodfof operation of the complete machine is as next explained:

, Referring first to Fig. 1, in preparing the machine for operation the staple-pusher 12 is withdrawn from the rearward end of the stapling-arm 3 and the staples s inserted in the magazine thereof with their legs straddling the core 15. :The pusher 12 is then replaced \upon the core 15 with its runners 46 sliding in the guideways between the sides of the core and the walls of the arm 3,. and with its impellerespring 11 tending to draw it forward against the staples. The alined staples s are thus caused to be pushed forward until the leading one 1s fed off from the end of the core 15 into the grooves 32 beneath the lower edge of the driver 30.

As the leading staple delivers fr'om'the end of the core 15 it is caught by the staplesupporter 85 and held from dropping down in the grooves 32, see Fig. 2; In this manner the first-delivered staple s is maintained in raised position with its legs holding the next staple from being pushed forward ofi' from the end of the core 15. 1

To apply a staple tothe work the sheets or pages to be fastened together are placed above the anvil70 beneath the forward end 1 of the arm 3. The operator then presses on the knob 33 to force the arm 3 down against the work and as the pressure is continued the driver 30 will be brought down against the forward staple s to slide the latter downwardly in the grooves 32 to drive its legs through the sheets 7). staple impinge upon the grooves 73 in the top of the anvil 70 the legs of the staple will be bent inwardly and clinched against the under side of the work, as shown in Fig. 6. As the staple .9 slides downwardly in the grooves 32 the forward leaf of the spring or a supporter is bent downwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, while still being maintained. be neath the cross-bar of the staple so that it acts as a resilient retainer or follower for the staple. Asthe staple driver 30 reaches the bottom of its descent to clinch the staple through the work the end of the supporter 85 is depressed to such an extent that it rides out from under the staple so as to release it therefrom.

-. Now when the knob 33 is released the staple-driver 30 will be raised under the ac- 'tion of the spring 40 and the forward end of SlOIl. As the lower edge of the driver 30 is raised above the foremost staple ,in the mag- As the points of the azine this staple will be pushed off from the I end of the core 15, but it is prevented from dropping down in the grooves 32 by the end of the supporter 85 which projects beyond the end of the core. The delivered staple s is thus suspended .by the supporter 85 in position in advance of the next, staple in the series on the core 15'so that the overlapping of their legs prevents a second staple from delivering from the magazine into the guiding-grooves 32'. As the driver 30 descends again, at the next operation of themachine, it slides in front of the forward staple on the core 15 and holds it from feeding after the previously fed staple has been pushed downwardly out of the way. Should the -stroke of the driver be incomplete, however, that is to say, should the knob 33 notbeto the work, then the staple beneath the driver in the guiding-grooves 32 will not be released from the supporter 85 but will be returned to raised position as the driver is raised. Stated briefly, the function of the supporter S5 is to normally maintain the delivered staple in raised position to block the feeding of a new staple into the guidinggrooves and to prevent the delivered staple from being released from the machine until it has been properly applied to the .work. The staple-supporter also actsto maintain the staple in correct position in the guidinggrooves 32 by preventing it from being tilted or canted. In other words, the strad-' dling of the staple across the end of the supporter 85 holds its legs in alinement with the guiding-grooves 32 so that there is no tendency for it to become tilted and cramped in the grooves to clog the machine.

Another most important advantage results from the improved method of supporting the staple by its head or crossbar throughout the complete driving operation so that it is prevented from buckling across its top. That is to say, the resistance encountered by the legs of the staple asthey pierce through the material will not cause the Wire to buckle across the top of the staple asis the case where no support'or spreader for the staple is'employed. With the present improved arrangement of the staple-supporter it has been demonstrated that double the usual thickness of work may be stitched without buckling the staple.

It will be seen that my present improvement provides a simple and ingenious meansfor insuring the proper delivery of the staples to the work Without permitting the unwarranted release of the staples from the machine; while also preventing one staple from being driven bn top of anotherand further guarding against the staples buckling during the driv ing operation or clogging the machine by becoming Inisalined thereinw a While I have herein described and illustrated my improvement in its preferred form, and shown it as applied to a certain type of machine, it is obvious that its structure and mode of application may be varied without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, without limiting-myself in this respect,I claim:

' 1. In a stapling-machine, the combination of a staple carrying arm, a staple-driver reciprocable on the arm, means for feeding the 2. In a stapling-machine, the combination of a staple-carrying arm, a staple-driver reciprocable on'the arm, means for successivelyvdelivering the staples into position beneath the-staple-driver, and a staple sup porter consisting in a resilient element projecting forwardly from the arm beneath the lower edge of the driver in position to maintain the delivered staple thereagainst, said supporter constructed and arranged to flex along its length to cause it to follow the movement of the driver and to release the staple'at the end of the stroke thereof and also acting automatically during its recoil to return the staple to raised position when the driver does not complete its stroke.

3. In a stapling-machine, the combination of a hollow arm for carrying a supply of staples, a staple-driver reciprocable on said arm, means to feed the staples. along the arm to deliver them successively beneath the staple-driver, across-strut extending between the sides of the arm, and a bowshaped spring seated on the strut with its forward end projectin beneath the-lower ed e of the driver to-adapt it to sustain the de ivered staple in position thereagainst.

4. a stapling-machine, the combination with a staple-carrying arm comprising opposite side-plates, a cross-strut extending between the side-plates, an inverted U- shaped core arranged within the sides of the arm to adapt it to receive the staples in straddled relation thereon, ,a staple-driver reciprocable at the end of, the arm, and a bow-shaped spring having an arched portion seated on the cross-strut within the sides of the arm with its rearward end bear ing against 'the top of -the core and its forwardend projecting beneath the loweredge ARTHUR H. MAYNARD. 

